Device for conditioning and reloading cartridge cases



y 1, 1951 1.. s. CORCORAN 2,550,973

DEVICE FOR CONDITIONING AND RELOADING CARTRIDGE CASES Filed Feb. 23, 1949 2 Shee ts-Sheet 1 lQb- INVENTOR. LYLE 5. COQCOQAM May 1, 1951 L. s. CORCORAN 2,550,973

DEVICE FOR CONDITIONING AND RELOADING'CARTRIDGE CASES Filed Feb. 23, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 1, 1951 Dev-roe Fen CONDITIONING AND "an -canine CARTRIDGE CASES Myinvention relates to devices for conditioning used cartridge cases and for thereafter reloading the same. As is well known, many gunners prefer to condition and reload their own empty cartridge cases either for the purpose of economy or for the purpose of obtaining uniform loads and/or non-standard loads, or for other reasons.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of my invention to provide an improved device for conditioning and reloading cartridge cases.

A further object is to provide an improved device for conditioning and reloading cartridge cases which is readily adapted for cartridge cases of various sizes.

A further object is to provide an improved cartridge case-conditioning and reloading device comprising a rigid base, a rigid slideway fixed to the base, a head fixed to the slideway in alignment with the base, means for mounting aligned cartridge case-conditioningand reloading tools on said head and/or on said base, a slide slidable on said slideway, and means for detachably mounting a cartridge case seat on said slide in alignment with said tools.

A further object is to provide in a device such as that last described improved means for reciprocating said slide on said slideway.

A further object is to provide in a device such as that last described a rock shaft journaled in the base and means operatively connectingthe rock shaft to the slide for reciprocating the latter upon rocking of the shaft opposite directions.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular construction of the invention, combination and arrangement of the several parts thereof, and will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the attached drawings in connection with the following specification, wherein the invention is shown, described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of the device according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a front view thereof, parts being broken 'away for clarity;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 2 Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the planes of the line 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary View similar to a, portion of Figure 3, and showing a different form of reloading tool usable with the device.

1 Claim. (Cl. 86724) Referring specifically to the drawings, wherein like reference characters have'been used through out the several views to designate like parts; l0 designates generally a, base for the device'vvhich may be provided with abase flange H formed with vertical holes 12 therein to provide means for bolting the base to the table or other sup-- port. An upwardly-directed slideway i3 is rigidly connected to the base I!) in rearwardly-offset relation thereto. A head I'll is rigidly connected to the upper end of the slideway l3 and is formed with. a forwardly-projecting portion I 5 overhanging'the forward portion of the base 10-. In'the embodiment illustrated, the base l0, slideway l3 and head 14 are formed of a single casting and the slideway comprises a vertical cylindrical est. Obviously, the same could assumebtherforms.

The overhanging portion t5 of the head M is formed with any suitable means fofmoiinting a cartridge case-conditioning and/qr releasing tool therein. Thusfi'n the embodiment illus: trated the overhanging" portion IS-"is formed with a vertical socket it; which is'interior'ly threaded for threadedly engaging the periphery of a car: tridge case tool H. The particulartool l'l'il lustrated includes a die portion ['9 for shaping the exterior of the cartridge case 20. The u per end of the tool i'l may be threaded for ngag ing a further tool 23' which includes a portion adapted to pass through the neck of the cartridge to reshape the same and a depending15in 22 adapted to punch the used primer out of theme; tr'idge case. As best seen in Figure 6, instead'of the tool 23, a die 24 may be threaded in the upper end of the 1 91 IT and includes means for properly seating a bullet 25 in a loaded cartridge case 23. Obviously, crimping tools at dis' may likewise be included, or substituted for the tools 11,23 and 253, aforesaid.

A slide 30, which may comprise a split collar, is vertically slidable on the slideway or post I3 and includes a forwardly-extending platform 29 formed with a vertically-disposed, internallythreaded socket 2B in vertical alignment with the socket l6 of the head It. A depending tubular stem 2! of a cartridge case seat 26 is threaded in the socket 28. The upper surface of the seat 25 is formed with a horizontally-disposed slideway 3| in which the ejector flange of the cartridge case is slidably received. Thus, the cartridge case 20 may be slid horizontally onto the seat into the slideway 3| and therein retained b the overhanging flanges 32 of the slideway. The cartridge is held against vertical displacement. By making the seat in the form of a socket, means now to be described may be utilized to insert a primer into the base of the cartridge case. Thus, the base II! is formed with a vertically-disposed, interiorly-threaded socket 33 which is in vertical axial alignment with the sockets 28 and I6. Any suitable primer-inserting tool 34 is threadedly mounted in the socket 33 whereby a primer 35 is held for insertion into the base of the cartridge case 26. broken lines, Figure 3, the primer 35 is inserted in the case upon downward movement of the collar after a preliminary upward movement has resulted in the pin 22 punching out the old primer. Vertical reciprocation of the slide 39 is accomplished by means now to be described.

Thus, the base II] is formed with a transverse bore in which is journaled a rock shaft 36. The forward portion of the bore is cut away, as at 37, so as to provide in effect a pair of spaced and aligned bearings for the rock shaft 36. The rock shaft 36 is formed with an axial bore 38 and with a pair of radially-directed aligned sockets 39 intersecting such bore. Also, the shaft is formed with third radially-directed socket 49 which is preferably angularly offset relative to the sockets 39 and which is in-between the same in the region of the cut-away portion 37. An operating handle 4| is seated in the socket 40 and is formed with a transverse hole 4| alignable with the bore 38 of the shaft 36. Likewise, a pair of bellorank arms 42 are seatable in the sockets 39. Each bell-crank arm 42 is formed with a transverse hole 43 which is likewise alignable with the bore 38 of the shaft 36. A locking pin 44 is slidable in the bore 38 and extensible slidably through the holes 43 and 4|, whereby to rigidly connect the bellcrank arms 42 and operating handle 4| to the shaft 36. Any suitable keys 45 are engageable with the free ends of the pin 44 to retain the same against longitudinal displacement relative to the shaft 36. Drag links 46 are pivoted to the free ends of the bellorank arms 42 by an suitable pivots 48. The free ends of the drag links are pivoted by any suitable pin 41 to opposite sides of the collar 46. 7

It follows from the foregoing that rocking of the rock shaft 36 in a clockwise direction by the handle 4| will cause elevation of the bellorank arms 42 and drag links 46, whereby to elevate the collar 30 and force the cartridge case 29 carried by the seat 26 up into the tool or die Also, rotation of the shaft 36 in a counter-clockwise direction will lower the collar and seat to the broken line position of Figure 3.

By'detachably connecting the cartridge seat 26 to theplatform 29, and by providing sockets for the tools I1, 23 or 34 on the head and base, it is obvious that the device is readily adapted to a large variety of cartridge sizes. Thus, all that is required is to replace the seat 26 with a seat As illustrated in.

suitable for the particular size of cartridge to be processed and similarly replace the tools 23 or H with suitable tools.

vice, comprising in combination; a base, head,

and connecting cylindrical post, the base and head having laterally projecting portions disposed in general vertical alignment, said head and base being provided with means for'rigidly and detachably mounting cartridge case-conditioning and reloading tools thereon; a rotatable collar verticall slidable on the post, said collar being formed with a radially-extending platform-in vertical alignment with the projections of the base and head, said platform carrying means for rigidly and detachably mounting a cartridge case seat thereon in vertical alignment with said means of the head and base; a rock shaft journaled in the projection of said base transverse thereto; a pair of generally parallel bellorank arms rigidly connected to opposite ends of said shaft with their sides in sliding registration with the respective sides of the base projection; and a pair of drag links pivotally connecting said bellorank arms to opposite sides of said collar with their inner'faces disposed insliding registration withthe platform thereof, whereby to provide means for reciprocating said collar on said post upon rocking of said shaft in opposite directions.

LYLE SHELLMAN CORCORAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record'in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 356,975 Badger Feb. 1, 1887 1,502,824 Hueter July 29, 1924 1,864,880 Zimmerman June 28, 1932 OTHER REFERENCES Reference (A) :page 25, June 1935 issue of the periodical, American Rifieman.

Reference (B): page 28, May 1937 issue of the periodical, American Rifieman. 

